Lakers playoff struggles due to offensive incompetence
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Lakers playoff struggles due to offensive incompetence
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looking on during a game, Image 2 shows Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets controls the ball against Deandre Ayton of the Los Angeles Lakers during an NBA game, Image 3 shows Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia try to grab a loose ball
As coachJJ Redickreminded reporters, theRocketshad been a top-10 defensive team the entire 2025-26 season, finishing at No. 6 in defensive rating for the regular season.
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, left, and Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia try to grab a loose ball during the second half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Houston. AP
The Lakers were also due for shooting regression after making a playoff-best 46.1% of their 3-pointers through the first three games of the best-of-seven first round playoff series against the Rockets.
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But it also wasn't surprising because most of the Lakers' offensive struggles from Sunday night carried over fromFriday's Game 3 win, in which the Lakers needed a miraculous comeback to pull off the victory.
The Lakers have averaged 22.3 points over the last six quarters of regulation against the Rockets after scoring a series-low 96 points in Game 4 and being held to a combined 38 points in the third and fourth quarters of Game 3.
"It's obviously very challenging without your two leading scores to generate offense," Redick said, referring toLuka Doncic(hamstring) andAustin Reaves (oblique)and the 55.8 points and 13.8 assists they averaged during the regular season being sidelined.
Redick added: "We'll take a look at the process again on that end as well. And I know our points per shot and our expected points per shot were slightly below our season average. So to me, again, it goes back to the two keys: Take care of the ball, and we'll look at that and how we can be better there."
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James goes to the basket against Houston Rockets' Reed Sheppard, left, and Alperen Sengun during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Houston. AP
LeBron Jamestook responsibility for the Lakers' struggles with ball security on Sunday.
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He finished with 8 of the Lakers' 24 giveaways, marking back-to-back games in which James finished with that many turnovers after having 8 of the Lakers' 21 giveaways in Game 3.
The Lakers won Game 1 and Game 3 despite struggling with turnovers.
That wasn't the case in Game 4.
"We knew coming into the series, we have to protect the ball versus them and not have not have too many pick-sixes, which we did all [Sunday] night," James said. "It started with me obviously. My turnovers were unacceptable. But we'll do a better job with that on Wednesday."
Marcus Smart, who had four turnovers in Game 4, said a majority of the Lakers' were because ofmental fatigue instead of physical fatigue, with Game 4 being the first matchup of the series that had a one-day break between games.
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There's another two-day break before Wednesday's Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena before one-day breaks ahead of a potential Game 6 on Friday at the Toyota Center and Game 7 on Sunday inLos Angeles.
"We were dropping passes, myself included," Smart said. "I was throwing passes to guys' legs, you know, normal passes that we make on a regular basis, right? But it's something we gotta clean up. We know it, we understand it. It's not gonna get easier."
Reed Sheppard of the Houston Rockets steals the ball from LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Getty Images
To the Rockets' credit, their defensive pressure and tenacity played a part in the Lakers' offensive struggles over the last six quarters.
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Houston was already playing physically, but with their season on the line, the heightened desperation led to more possessions with intensified ball pressure and more focused off-ball defense.
The Lakers weren't rattled after Game 4.
And understandably so, having a 3-1 lead in the series which will go back to Los Angeles with the Lakers having three more opportunities to close out the series.
